Imaeran: First Contact
by ZenaraTheDragon
Summary: A new planet, a new life form! Isn't it strange how most (read: ALL) alien species encountered are humanoid? This isn't one of them. Rated T because I'm paranoid and for later chapters. Also, the title isn't the best, I know, feel free to leave alternate ideas in a review! Chapters are being written and rewritten and patched together... But I'm working on it.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is the spawn of my love of fantasy and all things Star Trek, and also my dragon-related artistic skills. And a tendency to portray people as dragons. One thing led to another. And, **DragonsRme**, I expect a review if your name's accurate! So, I'll shut up now and let you read. Oh, I forgot to mention- I actually do own something this time! OCs! And a planet! But not Star Trek. :'(

* * *

"Captain, we are being scanned by a nearby Class M planet," Spock's calm voice broke the silence of the Bridge.  
"Scanned?" Kirk asked. It seemed that if there was a species here capable of scanning and space travel, they would have made contact by now.  
"Affirmative, sir. It is a rudimentary scan, without the ability to determine specifics, designations, or the number and variety of life forms." Kirk gazed at the distant planet on the viewscreen. "Take us closer, Mr. Sulu," he ordered.

* * *

The Enterprise glided towards the planet.

"Oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, two large continents and several chains of volcanic islands," Spock said from the Science station.  
"Assume standard orbit, Mr. Chekov," Kirk said. "What kinds of life?" he asked Spock.  
"A wide variety of plant and animal life. Sensors also show non-humanoid intelligent beings."

"Captain," Lt. Uhura said, "We're picking up an unusual frequency from the planet. If our instruments were any less sophisticated, they'd be scrambled. But it seems like there's a message on it, audio only."

Kirk leaned forward. "Well, they have scanners, and they're hailing us, or the equivalent. Even if they're a pre-warp society, I don't think we'd be violating the Prime Directive just by talking to them," he reasoned. "Open the line."

A faint static came through, followed by a strange, trilling growl. It seemed almost nervous. Then there was the distinct sound of a throat clearing, and a different language, very hesitant.  
"That's Klingon, Captain," Uhura said.  
The voice speaking Klingon stopped, growled quietly, then started in another language.  
"It is now speaking in Vulcan," Spock announced.  
The voice stopped, changing again.  
"Now it's Andorian," Uhura said.  
"Please inform the poor creature that we speak English," Kirk said, forgetting that the line was open.  
"Oh!" the voice said. "English! How did I forget that?" It was oddly accented, the words almost sung, and the voice feminine.

"This is Captain Kirk of the Federation Starship Enterprise."  
"I am Nevaha, leader of the Council of Clans. My planet has only limited knowledge of other species, we look forward to our official First Contact!"  
"We of the Enterprise represent the United Federation of Planets. Once we have fully estaplished peaceful contact, perhaps you will consider joining us." Kirk suggested.  
Nevaha emitted a trilling sound not unlike that of a tribble. "A federation? What is it like?"

"Several planets and their occupants have formed a peaceful alliance with one another, exchanging cultural and technological ideas."  
" A Clan-bond with numerous peaceful planets, with different species all coexisting? It sounds like an extraordinary achievement!"  
Kirk lauged. "It is," he assured her. "But- If this is your first contact, how did you know all those languages?"  
"I said this was official first contact," Nevaha said. Kirk could hear the smile in her voice.  
"May we send a small party down?" Kirk asked.  
"Ah! You have found our atmosphere suitable, then? By all means, come down! How much open area is necessary?"  
"Oh, not much at all," Kirk replied. "Send us a meeting location and our computers will find a good spot right there."  
"I have sent the location of the main plaza in our main city," Nevaha said. "I have one request, though- could you send an image of one of you so that we know what to expect? I would not want my people reacting...impetuously."  
"Of course. I'll send down an image of myself," Kirk assured her. "Mr. Spock, could you find an appropriate image from the memory banks, please?"  
"I already have, Captain. Lt. Uhura sent it on the same frequency as the message came in on."  
Kirk smiled. "Thank you."

Nevaha spoke up again. "Well, Captain Kirk, it would appear that we are very different. Please do not be alarmed by our appearance. If you have a doctor with expertise on what is toxic or safe for your species, their presence would be appreciated to prevent mishaps. We are planning festivals for several days, and we would rather not inadvertently poison you."  
"We'll have a medical officer with us," Kirk said. Lt. Uhura closed the communications line.

"What are you signing me up for now?" Doctor McCoy asked, entering the bridge.  
"You're coming with us to meet a new, sentient species!" Kirk grinned.  
"Oh boy, I can't wait. How many ways will they try to kill us?" McCoy was not in a good mood this morning.  
"Actually, their representative seemed to harbor genuine concern for our well-being while on the planet," Spock commented.  
"All right, no bickering now," Kirk said, stopping the fight before it started.  
"Spock, Bones, Scotty, we're beaming down. Plus two security guards."  
Scotty looked up from his monitoring of the ship. "Me, sir? Why?"  
Kirk swivelled in his chair to face the engineer. "Perhaps we can learn where they are in their technical advancements. Also, I'm curious about the frequency they used. I know Uhura could probably tell me more about the frequency itself, but I want you to see of you can take a look at what sent it."  
Scotty shrugged. "Aye, sir."

* * *

A/N: Well, what'd ya think? Should I post the next chapter? I just need to edit... Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own Nevaha and this new planet, but not Star Trek! :(

* * *

When the landing party beamed down, they were in the central square of a beautiful city, with precious gems inlaid into the stone streets and the walls of the shining buildings. The square was empty, but they could hear the noise of a crowd a little ways off.

"Welcome!" Kirk heard Nevaha's voice. He turned around to see a creature walking towards them. "I am Nevaha," she said quickly. "Perhaps I should have elaborated on our appearance..."

Standing in front of Kirk was... a dragon. A small dragon, he supposed, but at least twice his size. On her four legs, the tip of her snout would just have touched Kirk's head.

She was covered in gleaming gold and orange scales, with a spiked red crest running down her neck and back. On her back, two beautiful wings, the color of desert sand, were half-folded in a graceful curve. She was smiling at them, almost displaying her teeth. Her golden eyes were warm and, despite their slit pupils, human-looking.

As Nevaha reached them, she dropped to a crouch, closing her eyes and extending her wings to either side.

"Do not worry about returning that gesture," she laughed quickly, seeing Kirk start to bow. "That was me welcoming you to my home. Whatever your usual greetings are will be fine. It _is_ a rather difficult movement to replicate without wings," she added, ruffling said limbs a little smugly.

"Thank you for welcoming us. You were right about the warning, though- some of my party seems to have forgotten their manners." Kirk elbowed McCoy, who was staring intensely at Nevaha.

"Right. Sorry." the doctor muttered.

"I have spoken with you, Captain Kirk, but I am afraid the rest of your company goes unknown to me."

"Oh! Yes. This is Doctor McCoy, our chief medical officer, my First Officer, Mr. Spock, Chief of Engineering, Mr. Scott, and Ensigns Davids and Porter."

"Hmm," Nevaha mused, stepping closer and looking at Spock. "You seem not of their species. Is your planet part of the Federation?"

"Yes. I am from the planet Vulcan." Spock answered, not at all perturbed by a dragon examining him closely.

Nevaha sat on her haunches and trilled happily. "It is most wonderful that you are not hostile. We are all glad of a cause for a festival. But could we make this public soon? In the past, how has First Contact been announced?"

Kirk looked at Spock for help. Spock raised an eyebrow.

Kirk sighed. "Usually, a public announcement, with a reassurance that the aliens are peaceful, is best, and done soon after contact."

Nevaha positively beamed, showing off sharp, white teeth. "We already have an announcement platform set up. Come, come! This announcement must be made! I will translate for them; by the end of it many will know your language, or part of it."

"Wait," Kirk said. "Our Federation has a code, called the Prime Directive. It prevents us from interfering with pre-warp societies, peaceful or not."

Nevaha snorted. "This 'warp' is a form of travel through the Nothing. We know of it. You need not fear exposing us unduly to your technologies."

"I was wondering how you knew English, and how you have a scanner," Kirk said. "Our own scans showed no sign of the technological development usually associated with, well, the scanner at least."

Nevaha looked away. "Those are matters for another time," she said darkly. "What matters is we know of warp, and we _are_ working on ships to enter the Nothing." She glanced at the sky. "I insist on an establishment of regular contact, at the very least." She steered the Enterprise crew towards a silver-and-sapphire building.

"This is the Center of Peace," Nevaha explained, "Where Clan-bond contracts are written and formalized. I believe this is our purpose?"

"Yes. We'll need to figure out where you are with your technology, and figure out how much contact we can allow."

Nevaha rolled her eyes. "We have already been exposed," she said again, "We just have not found ourselves capable of using all the information from our exposure."

"You keep saying you were exposed to our technology," Kirk noted. "How?"

Her expression grim, Nevaha turned her head towards a gap in the buildings, through which a raised stone platform could be seen. On this platform were the remains of a starship of some kind.

"Is that...?" Kirk tried to get a better view of the mostly-wrecked ship.

Spock consulted his tricorder. "It appears to be a Klingon Bird-of-Prey," he said quietly.

"We took it in an attempt to defend ourselves. We learned much from it, including how to scan for ships that might attack."

Kirk stared at Nevaha. "How long have they been attacking you?" he asked.

Nevaha turned her head away. "Since before I was Tolir, in my first year of being Tol of the Sand Mages. They came down to our planet, and thought we were beasts overrunning the cities. When we made our intelligence known, they acted as though nothing had occurred. We rejected their offers of peace and killed any who dared to set foot on our planet. Since then, we have been nearly at war. We finally invented a system of finding their ships before their attacks- which is also how we found yours- and we managed to down one. We used it to create weapons, and we're developing a magic to let us fly in the Nothing."

"Why didn't you attack the Enterprise, then?"

"Our sensor device had been fine-tuned so that we could tell the severity of the impending attack. We found that your ship was not so easily classified, so we took a gamble that you would be peaceful. It seems we were right."

Kirk paused, backtracking in his head. "Wait, _magic_?"

"Of course. We've had to adapt our spells to the systems of the ship, but-"

"_Magic?!"_

"Jim," Spock said, saving Nevaha from his broken record of a Captain, "We have met entities capable of manipulating matter. Based on some of the Terran fiction I have been made aware of, this 'magic' could simply be a much-downscaled ability of the same nature."

"...I see."

Nevaha chuckled at Kirk's disbelief. "We have much to learn from each other. Come. I will show you what we know, and an Affirmation of Peace will be created."

* * *

A/N: Welp! another chapter! Now that you (maybe) have an idea where this is going, feel free to suggest alternate titles, I really hate the one I picked! And before you ask, another chapter will be up soon, I have a lot of this waiting for edits before it's posted. Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry this took longer (and is shorter) than ch. 2, I didn't have this written before and I realized that a lot of things went unexplained. So now, hopefully, I'll edit more chapters sooner. And next time, I'll warn you when I have to rewrite stuff! Also, ch. 1 has ben updated slightly, to reflect that the Imaerans had already been in contact with the Klingons, and also: Thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far!

* * *

Inside the silver building, the air was cool, compared to the late spring atmosphere outside.

"Exactly how much do you know about warp technology?" Kirk asked.

"Our knowledge is scattered," Nevaha said. "We can detect the faintest traces of it around our planet, but we have had to learn an entirely new way of thinking to be able to comprehend how it works. Our entire technological culture has been based on magic-" she gestured to a glowing blue gem set in the ceiling that seemed to radiate cool air- "And now we have to deal with the emptiness of the Nothing, and Nonbeing particles-"

"Nonbeing particles?" Kirk questioned the unfamiliar term.

"In the- Klingon, you called it?- ship, the engines are powered by particles which have Nonbeing reacting with particles which have Being-"

"Matter and anti-matter," Kirk realized.

"Is that what you call it? We have had little exposure to the more widespread terminology. We have made do with what we know." Nevaha shrugged, then called out to a passing dragon.

"This is Rendan," she introduced the dark silver and black male, "The leading expert on what we know of warp." Rendan snorted and bobbed his head in greeting. "You'll forgive him, he's not very talkative. Prefers the intricacies of Nonbeing engines to conversations with other dragons!"

Kirk raised an eyebrow and looked over his shoulder at Scotty. "Sound familiar?" he half-laughed.

"Sir! Ye make it sound like I stay in th' Engine room all day an' shun human contact!" Scotty replied, mock-offended.

Rendan snorted again- in laughter this time, a hint of a smile inching onto his face.

"I believe you two could work together to determine the precise parameters of our knowledge," Nevaha suggested, "If that's agreeable, Captain?"

Kirk smiled and shrugged. "I've got no problems with that. But- Scotty?"

"Aye, sir?"

"Try to control your enthusiasm and only discuss things Rendan already knows about?"

"...Right, sir." Scotty looked severely disappointed.

* * *

After McCoy and Spock were sent off with a gold-and-blue Healer and dark green Philosopher- one of the Imaerans' scientists- to discuss possible poisons, natural dangers, and the prevention of accidents, Nevaha and Kirk continued to the central hall. A slightly raised platform with various writing materials on it stood amid brightly-colored banners.

"These are the banners of the Allied Clans," Nevaha said. "In light of the recent attacks, all but two of the Clans' banners are here. We will all witness the Peace contract."

"How so?" Kirk asked.

"Each banner represents a Clan indirectly. Since having a representative from each Clan here would be a little chaotic, we hang every Clan's banner. There's an enchantment on each that would let each Clan view the proceedings from their banner, if they so choose."

Nevaha lightly ran a claw down a banner displaying golden dunes, red rock formations, and a pale sky, adorned with sparkles of gems that glimmered in certain lights. "This is my Clan's banner," she said, pride in her voice. Quickly she turned away and ushered Kirk to the writing table.

"This will only be a temporary contract," Kirk reminded Nevaha, "Until you develop warp-powered ships, the Federation can't really intervene."

"Of course, but how do you deal with situations like this, when a society has developed warp not of their own means?"

"... It's complicated."

"Hmm. I think the beat way to go about this is a _kiinather_."

"A what?"

"Kiinather? Oh. It is a ritual, a symbol of near-permanent peace between two Clans. It can only be broken by the murder of either younglings or a Clan leader."

"And this planet and the Federation would be on peaceful terms after the ritual?"

"Absolutely. The ritual is rather simple, just an oath and a witness of four repesentatives, which include the oath-taker. There's a non-harmful- to us, at least- scale-dyeing potion that temporarily lets the representatives take the colors of the other Clan. I'll ask the spell-weavers about a modifiation for your species."

Kirk smiled. "That sounds harmless enough. I think I know who _my_ representatives will be."

Nevaha trilled happily. "Good! Then we'll announce it soon?"

"Sure."

"Many of my people already know your language, or part of it. During the presentation, we'll take turns speaking the same thing. We can make connections by listening to two languages, but I think the process would be easier if I spoke in the Old Tongue, at least for now."

"The Old Tongue?"

"It is a language we have that is more suited to your vocal chords. You've heard-" she completed her sentence with growls and chirps. Then she picked back up with a strange but reproducable sentence- "Kir tai k'navi ii t'raniir dae Old Tongue," Nevaha settled back on her haunches, smiling.

Kirk's eyebrows were raised at the end. "I... I honestly have never heard anyone switch between languages so fluently," he said at last.

* * *

A/N: I said I'd warn you, so here: Real Life has reared its ugly head and there's strange rehearsal stuff going on for me, the Internet has been shoved into a box and slightly forgotten for a while, and probably for the next week or so.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: whoah. I haven't updated this in _forever_. I'm so sorry... but here you go, a nice long chapter with plenty of redshirt death! :) but really, I think it's a good chapter. (I'm only updating cause I'm supposed to be working on an Honors essay due tomorrow!)

* * *

"This _is_ a serious issue," Kirk said. "Let's see what we can do to help, within my own boundaries. You haven't developed Warp on your own, so the Prime Directive would prevent us from interfering. However, you've contacted us, proposed an alliance, and would be our allies against the Klingons- and the right thing to do would be to help you, since you've been exposed to future technology already and you need to defend your planet. You understand my dilemma?"

Nevaha raised a scaly eyebrow. "It seems precarious," she said eventually. "But surely your Prime Directive was implemented to help other planets? If they were to suddenly achieve Warp, without the planning and shifting of ideas, would be disastrous, to the planet's neighbors as well, no? But we have been fighting the Klingons for many Cycles. We have learned from their databases; we know not all others in the galaxy are as hostile as them. This has only been reinforced by your arrival. We are very quick to spread news, here- I am fairly certain the entire planet knows of you by now. If you were to leave now, my people would cry for vengeance at this perceived betrayal. You would make enemies here."

Kirk nodded slowly. "From what I've seen, you are amazingly developed in your own... unique technology," he said. "I, too, believe that if the _Enterprise_ left, it would not bode well for your planet. We'll help defend you, but we can't give you too much assistance with the technology, aside from working with what you already have. I'm sorry we can't do more."

Nevaha smiled an unnervingly toothy smile and nodded. "What you do is quite enough," she said. "Thank you."

* * *

"People of Imaeran!" Nevaha's voice thundered over the roar of the crowd. She spread her wings, standing tall on the white stone stage in the center of the city. "We have made an ally from the Nothing!"

The crowd cheered, wings flapping and flames breaking the sea of multicolored heads. Standing next to Spock, McCoy, and Scotty, flanked by two security guards, Kirk looked out over the crowd and marveled at the amazing diversity of the dragons here.

They were of all colors, rainbow, black, white, gray, metallic; they had scales, skin, feathers and fur; horns, ears, fins, whiskers; spikes and crests, spots and stripes- a few even had multiple heads!

"These allies," Nevaha continued, "These representatives of the United Federation of Planets, may look like the ancient _Tv'aanath_, but they are not. They are to be considered equal, and, under no circumstances whatsoever, considered prey. The punishment for such will be _k'navi dea v'airia sevarri_."

The crowd murmured uneasily at this.

"Captain Kirk of the Federation Starship _Enterprise _is here, with three officers of his crew. He will describe the terms of our planned _kiinather_." Nevaha stepped aside and let Kirk take the stage center.

"From what I've been told, you've been fighting against the Klingons for many years," Kirk began. At the crowd's murmured assent, he continued. "My ship will help defend your planet from these invaders. Unfortunately, because of Starfleet's Prime Directive, we cannot help you build your own ships. We will not hinder your plans of building ships, though, and assist in any ways we can."

Beside him, Nevaha was translating fluently in the Old Tongue, and Kirk saw several dragons in the crowd nodding in acceptance.

"We also hope that some of our crew may study and learn about your... magic, because the _Enterprise_ is on a mission of exploration, and this is, certainly, something to explore."

Nevaha stepped up again. "We are grateful to you, Captian, and your ship, the Enterprise. And I ask you," she turned to the crowd, "To be gracious, and speak their language. They are the guests here- in time, I am sure all languages will be understood."

The crowd nodded and murmured in assent. Nevaha nodded, pleased. "And so-" She was cut off abruptly by a scuffle and a scream from the back of the platform.

Whirling around, Kirk gasped as he saw a small yellow dragon standing over the bloodied body of one of the redshirts. Nevaha roared in fury, smacking the smaller dragon with full force. The little one snarled at her as he was dragged to the front by Nevaha's claw on the back of his neck.

"Did I not warn you?!" she bellowed at the offender. She turned to the crowd. "I have said that they are not prey," Nevaha snarled. "They are a peaceful Clan, now allied to our planet! Any offenses against them _will_ be punished!"

Pinning the little dragon with one claw in the ceter of his back, Nevaha snarled at it. Reluctantly, the little one half- spread a wing. Nevaha moved a hindfoot to keep him down, then fully opened the wing with one claw while placing the claws of the other against the membrane of the wing.

"_K'navi dea v'airia sevarri_," Nevaha announced solemnly, "For the offense of murdering a member of an allied Clan."

She raked her claws through the webbing of the wing, provoking cries of pain from the smaller dragon. Ignoring him, Nevaha continued, leaving the bare finger structure, bloody shreds of wing littering the white stone. Lifting her foot and allowing the yellow dragon to curl up, folding both its wings away from Nevaha, she snagged the tip of the second wing, pulling out despite the pleading cries. Hissing at the other dragon, Nevaha began the same process, soon stripping that wing, too, of its webbing. Then she opened her mouth and bathed both skeletal wings in fire. The yellow dragon cried out again, and Doctor McCoy started forward. "She's cauterizing the wound," he murmured. "The rest of him must be resistant to fire." Kirk nodded, watching in horrified fascination.

"This is the punishment for attacking an ally?" he muttered.

Nevaha pushed the mauled yellow dragon away. "I am sorry this had to happen," she murmured hastily to the remaining humans. "It will take time, but I believe this incident has shown that we are not joking about this alliance. Oh, I am sorry-" She turned back to the near-silent crowd, barking something in the Old Tongue before continuing, calmer, and in English. "The Festival will be held tonight, and for three days afterward. The _kiinather _will be at Setting of the fourth day. _T'aakin ver corris!_" This last seemed to be an ending, for the crowd burst into cheers and began to disperse.

* * *

Inside, Nevaha turned to the _Enterprise_'s crew, almost stammering in her haste to get her words out. "I offer my apologies to you in regards to what happened, I offer the deepest apology-" Trembling, Nevaha lowered herself to the ground, lifting her head so that the underside of her long neck was exposed to the humans.

"This is your formal apology?" Kirk asked.

"It is. I freely offer you the chance to tear out my throat. It... it isn't followed through very often anymore, among us," Nevaha explained.

"I accept your apology. No more blood needs to be spilled. And besides... tearing out someone's throat isn't our way of resolving disputes," Kirk said.

"That is relieving to hear," Nevaha smiled. "Your crew is invited to attend the Festivals. I must warn you, though- we are party creatures." She quirked an eye ridge and grinned toothily.

* * *

That evening, the dragons set up an outdoor pavilion, with open walls and artistically draped lengths of cloth for the roof, through which the sky could be seen. There was one long table down the middle, laden with dishes and two others, along the sides, with drinks.

The festival started like many formal events Kirk had attended, but with dragons instead of humanoids. Nevaha accompanied him for most of the evening, introducind him to the council.

"This is Tol Horonos, leader of the Dawnflight Clan," she said, as a large, pale blue-and-orange dragon approached them.

"Greetings, Tol Kirk," Horonos said, smiling and extending a taloned hand.

Kirk gingerly shook it, careful to avoid the claws.

" 'Tol' is the honorific for a clan leader?" he asked.

"Indeed," Horonus said, closing his eyes momentarily and emitting a deep trill, rather like a growl.

Nevaha caught Horonos' attention and explained something to him in their inhuman language.

"Ah. Tolir Zierana tells me that you are a 'Captain', of your ship, and not the Tol of a clan."

"Yes, I am the captain of the Enterprise," Kirk said, rather relieved.

"Jim!"

Kirk turned to see Spock coming toward him, followed by a small lavender and green female.

"Spock! Are you enjoying the festival?"

Spock gently fended off the female's inquisitive snout investigating his ear.

"It is very interesting, but I find that they have a fascination with my ears."

Kirk laughed. "Sorry. What is it about your ears, I wonder?"

"Maybe they have legends about pointy-eared hobgoblins," McCoy said, appearing from the crowd.

"That is illogical. Their folklore has no mention of such a trait in humanoids, as some Earth legends do. Their myths revolve around-"

"All right! Geez. Didn't we spend a week trying to teach you about jokes at one point?"

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

McCoy turned to Kirk. "You remember that, right?"

Kirk smiled. "Yes, and I also remember that it didn't work."

A blue male snuffled at Spock's left ear inquisitively, making the Vulcan duck away.

"Annoyed, Spock?" Kirk asked.

"Annoyance is an emotion which I cannot experience. However, it is rather hard to have a conversation-" he stopped the lavender female from pulling on his ear. "It is rather hard to have a conversation with these constant interruptions."

McCoy smirked. "So, is that Vulcan for ' I'm about to slap the next thing that touches my ear' ?"

All he got in return was a raised eyebrow, which nearly entered orbit as the lavender female snuggled against Spock with a contented trill.

"...They're like giant, scaly tribbles," Kirk said in fascination.

* * *

As the sun went down, a commotion broke out in the middle of the pavilion A small, lithe, green and silver male and a finned female of various shades of blue were snarling and roaring at each other.

"Eh. That's Tol Deresha of the Seaflame Clan, and Tol Gedroth of the Treeleaper Clan. They're rivals, or so they claim; all but them want to unite their Clans. But we can tell they secretly fancy each other," Zierana said nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, Deresha and Gedroth had started circling each other, wings half-spread, scales raised and claws clicking on the stone ground.

"We'll break this up quickly. Watch," Nevaha told them.

She pushed into a place in the circle of dragons forming.

"Kiss already!" she shouted. Deresha and Gedroth looked at her in suprise. The chant was taken up by the crowd.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

The rivals glared at the ring of dragons, but discontinued their disagreement and pushed through the crowd in opposite disections. A general boo followed them.

"See?" Nevaha said, returning. "They won't fight if we make it plain they're expected to kiss. Funny to watch, really." She glanced at the lavender dragon coiling around Spock's legs. "Eonala..." she said something in growls and chirps.

Eolana sat on her haunches to listen, then her eyes narrowed and she grabbed Spock, hugging him for dear life. She growled at Zierana warningly.

Spock was trapped, with his arms pinned at his sides and Eonala's tail twined around his legs. "Excuse me... How does one remove this... Eonala?" he asked.

"You don't," Nevaha said, walking away.

"Mine!" Eonala chirped happily.

* * *

"Captain," Nevaha called. "There is something I wish to show you."

Nevaha led Kirk outside and through the city to a high silver wall stretching a couple blocks, with an intricately wrought silver gate depicting a beautiful dragon.

"Your people are fine craftsmen," Kirk said in awe, tracing one silver wing with his hand.

"Ah, yes. This city is renowned for its fine meatworkers. But come inside. This is the Night Garden."

Nevaha pushed open the gate, leading Kirk down a vine-shaded, winding path. As they rounded the last corner, the vines spread out and twined among the trees- trees that glowed with bioluminescence, leaves dancing brightly in the slight breeze. A number of alien plants adorned the ground, glowing in patters along their leaves, bright greens, blues, and purples, creating a surreal atmosphere in their glow. The very ground was covered in patches of luminous moss, glowing even brighter in their footprints.

"Are these plants all native?" Kirk asked, looking up at the canopy of bright leaves.

"Yes, to the most remote jungles- as are some dragons," Nevaha said. Kirk turned to look back at her-

She was glowing too. Red patterns ornamented her face and wings, traced the scales on her back in swirling patterns, graced her feet. The sharp red color stood out among the softer hues of the plants, giving the dragon an even more dangerous air. Nevaha looked up as something rustled in the trees. Some small creature chirped, then again, followed by a growing chorus of cricketlike song.

"What is that?" Kirk asked.

"The _k'nata,_ the little ones," Nevaha said quietly. "If you are very still, one may show itself."

Kirk stood, bathed in ethereal light, watching every rustle of the plants. Eventually, a small lizardlike creature fluttered daintily over to him, flying in close and examining his face. It chirped and chittered, weaving its head around. It had butterfly-like wings, decorated in luminescent patters, and glowing nodules at the tip of its tail and on the tips of several antenna-like protrusions from its head.

"It's like a fairy," Kirk murmured, careful not to frighten the creature. The little lizard seemed completely unafraid of him, though- it fluttered up and perched on his head.

"What is a fairy?" Nevaha asked.

"An Earth legend. Fairies are tiny humanoids with insectoid wings. Sometimes they're said to have magic."

Nevaha nodded. "Like the _k'nata_, but with your species."

"Exactly." Kirk paused and gazed at the garden, still in awe of its beauty. "This is amazing," he whispered to himself."

Nevaha nodded. "What is amazing is _running _through it. There are paths kept clear; you may try if you like. The sheer feeling of the wind flowing, patterns flashing by- but a jog is not good. A stroll is fine, it lets you examine everything and appreciate detail, but there is _nothing _as exhilarating as running through the Night Garden." And so saying, Nevaha leaped away, bounding through the trees and leaving plants swishing in her wake. With a wild laugh, Kirk ran after her, the cool night air around him and the glow of the Night Garden lighting his way.


End file.
